


real men

by oldmilkcarton



Category: LEGO Monkie Kid
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Character Study, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Self-Hatred, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29917653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldmilkcarton/pseuds/oldmilkcarton
Summary: Late at night Red son cuts his hair and goes to MK for some extra assistance.
Relationships: Qi Xiaotian | MK & Red Son
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	real men

**Author's Note:**

> my interpretation of why red son’s hair is short on that one lego figure. i tried keeping their personality the same, yet might b slight ooc. title is based off the song real men by mitski

Red son hates the noodle boy for all the sweetness surrounds him. MK treats him like they're just an odd pair of friends. Not like the adults in their lives haven't been fighting for centuries, or as if the adults in their lives never gave them roles to play from the start. 

Red Son breathed villainy. He loved the thrill. He craved power, had an insatiable hunger for it. He knew he wanted to be what his parents dreamed of, the ingenious son whose flames blinded the great sage and invention that could match the strength of the Monkey King. However, MK had to come into his life and show him something new that he craved love. He's known villainy for so long that something new felt like a drug. It made him sick and confused. MK's acceptance towards him was something the bull demon never experienced before, and he had no clue how to react other than fight. That's all he's ever known. MK somehow sees past this and keeps coming back again and again. Even if he leaves a little burnt, the monkey king's successor never once stopped believing in him. Red son didn't know if he could classify their relationship as even friendship. They weren't enemies anymore. That's all he knew.

* * *

"Yoo, Red son!" MK yells, landing perfectly from his staff as he shrunk the weapon. 

Red son, who had been attempting to hide from other civilians, sighed heavily, dramatically turning around to face MK," what do you want, peasant?"

"Nothing!" He chirps, the insult barely registering in the other’s mind," just saw you on my patrol and wanted to know if you wanna hang out with Mei and me at the anti-gravity arcade! They got this new arcade-"

"Why would I hang out with you?" Red son spits with more venom than indented.

MK pauses, narrowing his eyes curiously at the bull demon," I was just curious. You looked kinda down." 

The Monkey kid shrugs at the end of his sentence, enlarging the staff once again," if you ever change your mind, the shop is always open, or I'm probably at the arcade. Or at home, but don't turn that down again, please.”

Red son says nothing as MK laughs to himself before waving goodbye and disappearing on his staff, and Red son swallows the lump in his throat.

* * *

Red son, a once-proud villain whose anger burned mountains, was a husk of the bull demon he was months ago. He doesn't blame MK, he wishes he could, but he knew deep down it was him that had changed. He wants something new, something better than his life of darkness and sucking up to his parents. Red son does want to go to that stupid arcade he's never been allowed to play at, he wants to try a humble bowl of noodles, but he can't do that. He can’t ever want. That's not who Red Son is. Son of the great DBK and Princess Iron fan, destined to finish the job his parent never could.

* * *

Red son looks at the mirror a little too long. He never cared for appearance, and looks meant nothing compared to strength and power. Red Son looks at the mirror again, pulling down his hair from his hair tie and watching it fall just below his shoulders. His mother always said his hair was silky smooth like a spider's web, that it smelt of an old fire. Red son never cut it, his mother liked it, and he didn't want to upset her. Yet, he despised the length. The demon bull never liked the length of his hair. Sure, it gave him an excellent effect whenever his anger over-boiled, but other than that, it was a strain to care of. He wants it gone. 

Red son picks up the scissors looking at it as if he's never seen it, and pulls it by his hair, centimeters from the first strands of red. He pauses, wondering what the hell he was thinking. Mother and Father would be disappointed. He thinks lowering the utility. 

" But I don't care," Red son mutters to himself.

They're liars, he says to himself. He could never say it allowed, the truth was far too scary to say, and he was far also overcome with other emotions to deal with that. The bull demon snips at one area, watching the hair fall like nothing before cutting higher at different regions. He can feel tears forming, but Red son doesn't cry. He's too proud for that. The bull demon cuts more and more till it's short, that his purple hair tie is now useless. He pauses all motion, only looking at the mirror with watery vision as the weight of the world pummels him, and he lets out a heavy gasp. 

Oh, he’s fucked. 

Red son pauses all motion but can still feel his hand shake against the rubber. His hair is short. It's gone, strand covers the sink, and Red Son feels sick. The walls slowly inch forward, and without even bothering to clean up the mess, he runs. He runs to his truck, starts the engines hastily, and drives. The bull demon grips the wheels tightly, chest raising by the seconds. The uncomfortable feeling of air hitting his neck makes him shiver. He feels disgusting. His parents would be even more ashamed of who he’s become. The thought makes the bull demon let out a choked, bitter laugh. Red son stops at a red light, finally taking a look at where he was. He knows this street. It's right by Pigsy's noodle shop. 

Red son hisses to himself, why'd he have to come here? Red son drums his fingers, taking in a deep breath as he sneers at himself, but he makes the turn towards the noodle shop anyways. He's a child wanting comfort, and that isn't who he's supposed to be. 

He parks behind an alleyway and climbs the rails, reaching MK's window and pounding on the glass, shockingly not breaking under his fists. Red Son watches MK bolt awake, looking at the mirror before noticing Red son. Red son motions for the other to open the window, and the foolish boy does. 

"Dude, it's midnight-oh my gods, did you get a haircut?!" MK's tiredness is gone as he gets closer to the bull demon, who steps back.

Red son grimaces, subconsciously touching fresh new hair," I did. It's stupid."

MK looks at him, brows furrowed," stupid? It's just hair, I mean no offense, it looks really messy, not saying it doesn't look bad-"

"Will you shut up noodle brain?!" Red son snaps," I cut it okay?! I don't know why but my mother and father are going to be heavily upset with me and, and I look stupid!" 

The room falls silent as Red Son lets out a puff of smoke, hands clenched as he feels a warmth in his fists. Red son glances at MK, who only looks at him with sympathy, and it twists the bull demon's stomach. MK reaches yet doesn't touch him. The red son feels a want to grab the boy's hands, but he doesn't. He knows he's starving for any kind of touch.

"Can I touch you?" MK asks softly like Red Son would collapse under anything above a solemn tone, and perhaps he might've. 

Red son nods. Afraid that anything that comes out of his will sounds desperate. Mk holds his wrists gently, rubbing the demon's palm with his thumb.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He says it so softly and so understandingly that Red son almost chokes then and there.

" No," he answers quickly, pretending his voice hadn't cracked. Pretending that he didn't say the one-syllable word with as much of a bite as whenever he's threatening the monkey king's successor. MK, however, just nods and assures him to sit on the bed. Red son makes no complaint and does as he’s told. 

They make no noise, just soft breathing as the night gets darker. MK yawns once, which only upsets the demon more. He's selfish. He wants to leave, he's not supposed to be here, seeking comfort from the enemy, but it's so lovely here. MK seems to notice and grips Red son's wrist just a bit tighter," Hey, I'm fine, just bored."

"You're a terrible liar." Red son mutters.

MK smiles at the other's comment," eh, well, I am bored."

Red son rolls his eyes," you're foolish noodle boy. Hanging with the enemy, and you're only worried about being bored?" 

The noodle boy shrugs, letting out another yawn," I could fix your hair, you know."

Red son raises a brow at the other young adult. Mk looks at him genuinely. He's honest. Why. "Why would you?"

"I just want to help."

Red son doesn't speak, choosing to look shamefully away as he snaps his teeth together. He can feel the same weight across his chest again; the same nauseating suffocating feeling returns. He blinks, trying to sink that feeling into a pit of nothingness. Red son wouldn’t dare show weakness in front of MK. 

"Alright." 

MK looks at Red son, shocked for a moment but nods happily. MK stands, motioning for Red son to stay on the bed, and walks to what the fire demon supposed was the bathroom. Red Son squirms a bit. The loss of being held made him feel cold. He cringes at his self-desire. Red son clenched his wrist, rubbing his palm as MK returns, motioning him to follow. Red son follows.

The pair make their way to the bathroom, where MK wraps a towel over the bull demon's shoulders. He grabs the scissors from the shelf before finally meeting eye to eye with Red son, who looks at him like a lost child. MK pauses all motion yet quickly smiles to pretend he hadn't noticed the changed expression for Red Son's dignity at least.

"Ready?"

"Yes, let's just get this over with."

Snip snip.

MK brushes Red Son’s surprisingly soft hair that smelt of smoke. He never noticed it, yet he notices it here in the quiet of a two am night. MK pretends he doesn’t see that Red son will move towards his hand. It’s not his business to wonder about the fire bull’s behavior. But, he can’t help but worry, yet all he can do is push his feelings down. They're never going to be anything more than enemies, but just for tonight, they can be something else. 

“Why are you so generous.”

The question snaps MK out of his thoughts,” huh?”

“Are you deaf? Incredible,” Red son mutters, crossing his arms.

MK rolls his eyes,” no, I heard. I just wasn’t expecting that, jeez. And, I don’t know, I never had much to offer growing up but myself, and I wanted to be good for everyone.” 

Red son blinks, taking in that answer. 

“That sounds stupid.”

MK only lets out a laugh,” oh thanks, why are you so rude??”

“Because it’s all I’ve ever known.”

There’s a pause in the quiet room. MK stops snipping at hair, looking at Red's son in the mirror, who's looking back at him with cold, tired eyes. MK looks away, clicking his mouth, trying to figure out what to say, but Red son beats him to it.

“My issue is none of your concerns, noodle boy, I am fine. Just fix my hair, and I’ll be on my way, and we can pretend this night never happened.”

“Do you, do you really want that?” MK questions.

“What does it matter what I want?” 

Snip snip.

It doesn’t take long for MK to finish cleaning up the bull demon’s hair. MK gives Red son some reheatable noodles, and through his bed, he watches Red Son leave his window. The bull demon doesn’t turn back to face him or say goodbye, and he wonders if that’s what Red Son wanted.


End file.
